Dear Spotty Chop – you have cojones the size of Jupiter

The other night you went to hockey try outs. You only learned to skate less than a year ago. You stood with around 35 other kids your age and tried to do the drills the coaches use to place the skaters. They had older players demo what was wanted. After the first “drill” was done, I started to get really upset as this was way over your skill level. I imagined how you must be feeling at the end of the line, having your stomach start to get queasy at the thought of doing this.   I almost had to leave after watching the first 5 or 6 kids do this flawlessly. And then it was your turn. You were flustered, but you didn’t quit. You managed to get through it and got to the back of the line. The next drill, you did a lot better, but it was super obvious that your skill level was nowhere close to what almost every other kids was. There were 2 or 3 other kids from your learn to play class who were also there, so you weren’t the least skilled kid on the ice, but you were one of them. When it came to doing the one on ones, we could tell how frustrated and disappointed you were. You were going against  kids that were so much better than you. But you didn’t quit. You never got the puck away from him, but you kept him away from the net. He didn’t score. When you got off the ice you were all smiles.

“I probably won’t even make a team, but who cares? I think I did pretty good.”  “My stomach really hurt for awhile and I seriously thought I was going to throw up, I was really nervous”.

We were falling over ourselves telling you how immensely proud we were of you. The fact that you even tried was so huge. I would never have done it. By the time I had to do try outs for  soccer or track, I had been playing/running for years. And I was good (not great, but I was closer to the front of the pack than the back). Your dad? He never had the opportunity.

We were so worried that you were going to be a wreck, and while you were nervous and scared you still did it.  You are already surpassing your parents. Couldn’t love you more if we tried.

Of course bed time is where/when all your stresses of the day come out.  You were so upset and decided that you were never going to try out again. Or play hockey. Your dad was able to talk you off the ledge. 

I am so proud of you I could cry, well actually I am crying as I write this because? It’s just the way your mom is.

Love ya kiddo